1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a magnetic tape recorder apparatus of a cassette type and in particular to a magnetic video tape recording and reproducing apparatus of a rotating head and helical scanning type in which a magnetic tape is helically wound for a predetermined angle around a head cylinder incorporating therein rotatable magnetic heads for recording and reproducing signals. More particularly, the invention concerns a magnetic video tape recorder of the above type (hereinafter referred to as VTR) wherein the magnetic tape is automatically led out from a tape cassette accommodating therein a supply reel and a winding reel, and is wound around the head cylinder for a predetermined angle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known in the art, in case of VTR of the helical scanning type having N rotating magnetic heads, it is required that a magnetic tape should be wound around a head cylinder so as to extend over a circumferential length making an angle slightly greater than 360.degree./n. In most conventional VTRs having two rotating heads, the magnetic tape has to be wound around the head cylinder for an angle somewhat greater than 180.degree. in a .OMEGA.-like configuration for example. As a result of this, a friction force between the head cylinder and the magnetic tape may become of high magnitude, which is of course unfavorable in effecting high speed forwarding and rewinding operations. In an attempt to overcome such disadvantages, it has been hitherto known in the conventional VTR that the magnetic tape is automatically detached from the head cylinder and stored in the tape cassette upon actuation of the stop knob or button, and thereafter the high speed forwarding or rewinding operation is allowed to take place. In other words, the arrangement is made such that the buttons for forwarding and rewinding the tape at a high speed can not be promptly actuated, until the magnetic tape has be completely housed in the cassette. Accordingly, the user of a VTR who wishes to carry out the high speed forwarding (forward feeding) or rewinding operation must wait until the magnetic tape has been stored in the cassette after the actuation of the stop button. This is of course inconvenient. In a VTR, the magnetic tape must be wound around the head cylinder for a relatively large angle, as described above. This means that a relatively long length of magnetic tape must be drawn out from the cassette and hence it takes a considerably long time for rewinding the tape into the cassette. In an unrelated meantime, the user must wait unable to do anything. Further, the user must ascertain that the tape has been returned in the cassette before actuation of the buttons for forwarding or rewinding operation.